I got a chuckle today when Stowe's first Snow Report of the season arrived in my email inbox. But they had a good reason for sending it: over two feet of snow there yesterday. Of course, that's at the top but you can see in the report that they averaged a couple of inches elsewhere on the trails.

Most of the ski areas in the northern half of Vermont will get their snow making operations started in a couple of weeks and they will try to open a few trails by Thanksgiving.

Also, if you are considering a season pass, now is the time to get one. The sale prices will go up substantially November 1.

I've been a Vermont inn owner for ten years and I still come across a few new inns each month that I've not heard of before. If memory serves, I think I read years ago that there are 1800 some lodging facilities in little ole Vermont but I just read an article about a place that may top them all.

There are 20 accommodations including suites each with fireplace, full bath; plus cottages of different designs and each in its own secluded environment, set throughout the property's 300 acres. Take a look at Twin Farms website's photos - these cottages would make fine primary residences for most people. I love the rustic Vermont theme incorporated in many of them.

Naturally, we always want to know the rate. Sit down and hang on. Rates at the Twin Farm start at $1400 and go up to $3100. That's per night with a two night minimum weekends and holidays. For two people. Plus 27% service fee and tax. If there is just one person, they reduce the rate $100! I can't imagine anyone would go there alone but it must happen from time to time I suppose.

The website does not say how much an extra person is if you have a group larger than two people but you can rent the entire facility for $41,000 per night. That's what I want to do and I want to invite you and everyone I know. When I win the Powerball Lottery. However, in the interest of full disclosure, my chances of winning are even lower than all those who play because I never buy a ticket. So don't hold out any hope I'll be able to fulfill my generous offer.

Those rates include breakfast, dinner, drinks, and full use of all the facilities including a spa. So while the rates are very high, I would bet Twin Farm's expenses are very high so the rates should be reasonable for the value delivered. Taxes alone must be staggering for a place like this. Having to pay VT tax on my little property, I can only imagine how large a train load of money that Twin Farm must send to Montpelier every year.

Even if you never go to a place like this, it's fun to read about. But I hope you do get to go someday. If so, write and let me know how it was. Add photos too.

Jeff Connor, Way out of Twin Farms league but still a nice place to relax, Grunberg Haus]]>Sun, 25 Jul 2010 19:01:55 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=497http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=496
Photo credit: www.central-vt.com/moose "Montpelier, Vermont, the nation's smallest capital city had an unexpected visitor Monday, July 19th as a moose wandered leisurely during the lunch hour. This picture was taken by an administrative assistant at Vermont State Housing Authority on 1 Prospect in the city. A co-worker, Lindsay White, remarked that she loves the ruralness of Vermont, and this was the exclamation point of the day! "

I think the most frequent question we get from guests is "Where's a good place for dinner?" A close second is "Where can we go to see moose?"

Answering the first question is easy because we have dozens of good restaurants in the immediate area.

Answering the second question is tougher because we don't have dozens of moose hanging around nearby. We have one (perhaps more) around the inn that must come through about once a week judging by the fresh tracks we see that often. In fact a guest and his family last week pulled into our driveway one evening to find a moose standing right in front of them just a few yards off Route 100.

Moose are most frequently in remote, rural areas but they are located all over the state and, as seen in the photo above, they can even wander into a city This one was spotted in downtown Montpelier, the state capital. Once in a while deer are seen feeding on the state capitol lawn in the evenings but moose are a very rare sight in the city.

We have more moose road signs I think than actual moose. The last time I saw a statistic, the VT Fish & Wildlife Division estimated our herd between 4,000 and 5,000. In fact, the last two moose hunting seasons, F&W increased the number of permits to help reduce the size of the herd. This year, they reduced the number of permits back to 700 something. About 200 moose are killed by automobiles each year in Vermont. Moose have little or no fear and they will usually not hesitate to step in front of a car.

When I'm asked about where to see a moose, I tell people that you need a lot of luck to see one. For instance, the photo at the top of this blog was taken by a guest a few years ago through the windshield of his car. By the time he got the car pulled over and stopped to get out and take a better quality photo, the moose had already walked across the road (Route 100 between Warren and Granville) and was headed up into the woods. The point is that if he had left from our inn a minute earlier or a minute later, he would have missed the moose entirely.

But having explained that, we suggest the area around Island Pond, VT for good moose watching. Island Pond is a good central location for exploring the most remote part of Vermont known as the Northeast Kingdom (NEK).

The Appalachian Mountain Club website has a little primer on moose watching you might like to read. Note especially the warnings about getting close to these animals. They're not known for being aggressive but they are wild animals and you can never be sure whether they will attack. A mother moose (cow) will almost certainly be aggressive if she is with a calf.

Route 105 is Vermont's "Moose Alley" but other roads such as 114, 111, 5 and 16 are worth driving as well. The back roads are also worth exploring but make sure you have enough gas in the tank before heading into backcountry.

But I would not go to the NEK just to see moose. I'd go to see the countryside with the idea that seeing a moose would be a special bonus.

Here is an enjoyable double (!) moose sighting video shot in the NEK by jenawesome

Good luck on your moose hunt! And drive carefully, especially at night.

Fortunately, finding Vermont travel topics is easy. Unfortunately, there are so many of them that I can't get to them all.

I have a stack of Vermont information so large, I think I could write several hours a day and never exhaust the ever-growing list. As a result, items linger and I have to weed them out as they become less timely. This blog entry is about just one of those items.

A few weeks ago on Christmas eve, the New York Times ran an article about the real von Trapp family of Stowe. Nearly everyone in this country has heard of them and probably seen the movie. And judging by the number of guests at our inn, many people are big fans of the movie even though it is now about 40 years old.

But, as the article explains, there is quite a difference between the fictional family of the movie and the real von Trapps. The story is based on real people and real events but it takes quite a few liberties with the story.

The Trapp family lodge in Stowe is a very large facility now and does not have the quaintness that some visitors are expecting. However, it is a beautiful place in a magnificent setting with great views. There is an excellent cross country facility there (the only one around here that makes it own snow), they have sleigh rides in the winter, and in the summer the meadows are used for outdoor concerts. It is worth a visit if you are in the area.

Sam von Trapp, grandson of the famous Maria, is now taking over from his father Johannes. Even though he is far removed from the original story, the article makes it clear that he understands the family's appeal to many fans.

If you have not visited Stowe yet, you may be surprised to see that there are a number of lodging facilities and homes there that have Austrian architecture. Even our inn, the Grunberg Haus is built in Tyrolean style and we are about ten miles from Stowe. The von Trapps were not the only Austrians attracted to the mountains here. And people from other mountainous countries such as Sweden and Switzerland found their way here as well.

For Thanksgiving, I want to say thanks to the folks who have sent emails with compliments and suggestions. (No complaints . . . so far.) And to everyone else who has not written an email, thanks for just reading. This blog is now 2 1/2 years old and has received more than 430,000 visitors, an average of 474 per day.

The artwork above is from an animated e-card a friend of ours sent the other day. It was created by Jacquie Lawson, an e-card company with a wide selection of greeting cards. You can see, and hear, this animated Thanksgiving card here and other autumn season cards here.

Jacquie Lawson lives in England. Her web site has about 188 animated cards and adds about 20 new ones each year in 34 categories ranging from holidays to personal greetings such as birthdays and get well cards. For just $12 per year ($18 for two years), you can personalize these distinctive cards and send as many as you would like to family and friends. Some of the artwork is also available on printed calendars, note cards, mugs, tote bags, etc. You don't have to get in the car and drive around to find cards. For just the cost of three or four printed cards, you can get a year's worth of unique cards from this website.

For all our American readers, best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn ]]>Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:28:12 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=415http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=398
"We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet: and, amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog, has made an alliance with us." - Maurice Maeterlinck

Maeterlinck was a Belgian poet, playright, and Nobel Prize winner who lived 1862 to 1949.

I took a quick snapshot this afternoon of the hillside across the street. The foliage colors this year are magnificent. If you ever wanted to travel to Vermont to see the fall colors, you couldn't do any better than this year. Some of the upper elevations are a little past peak but still look very good and some areas have yet to peak. You still have time.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus Inn ]]>Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:01:14 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=395http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=389
The first time was when my wife and I took the kids on a driving vacation around New England about 20 years ago. We were on our way north to Quebec and stayed for a night at the North Hero House Inn. The owners had a photo album on display at the front desk. One of the photos showed Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward in an old VW beetle convertible at the inn. They had stayed there sometime before we were there but I don't remember how long before.

I know the North Hero House has different owners now but if you ever get to travel there (very nice place by the way), you can ask if they still have that photo album. I doubt they do - I'll bet the previous owners took it with them. But at least you can say you stayed the same place Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward stayed.

The drive up Route 2 through the islands is OK enough. Most people think more of it than I do. The islands looks better from the water I think. Rent a boat while you are there and see for yourself. It seems to me that the islands are like flat farmland most anywhere and they don't compare at all to the mountains a short distance away. Most of the time you are on Route 2 you cannot see the water except for a few exceptions like North Hero House

That's just one person's opinion. Travel to Vermont and look at both the mountains and the islands, and you can then write to tell me I'm right or wrong.

The other times I saw Paul Newman were at sports car races at Watkins Glen NY. My brother was racing and Paul Newman had the pit garage next to my brother's team a couple of times. The last time I saw Newman race was a few years ago when he was in his late 70's. He was an excellent driver and when I was watching practice sessions, I was very impressed with how much speed he was carrying through the corners in his car. It would have been impressive to see anyone going that fast but to see someone almost 80 years old hustling a car that hard was inspiring!

There is a widely photographed falls you can find in Brewster River Gorge. Locally, it is sometimes called Jefferson Falls.

If you want to fish the area, stop by an excellent little fly shop called Green Mountain Troutfitters to arrange for a guide, get the current flies, etc.

Be sure to drive Route 108 from Jeffersonville to Stowe or the opposite way from Stowe to Jeffersonville. It goes through an area called Smugglers Notch and it is one of the prettiest drives in Vermont.

And naturally it's in Vermont, world center of tiny towns and villages located in the middle of nowhere.

I have John Hughes to thank for placing this photo on his wonderful Megapickles website. I cropped the sign photo from a much larger photo of a nice looking field in Podunk so click on the link to see a better image.

I have written about his website several times previously because it one of my favorites and is superbly well done I think - a new photograph every day! To see a wonderful series of pastoral Vermont photos, check this month's photos. One great Vermont photograph after another.

Google Maps says there are Podunks in CT, PA, and two in MI. Two! Whoever heard of two towns in the same state with the same name?

Vermont's Podunk is located in the southern part of the state so if you are going to be in the Brattleboro, Bennington, Manchester area, you can take a nice drive in the country to see it. Don't forget to take your camera so you can have bragging rights that you have been everywhere including Podunk.

And finally, there is a website called ePodunk that I have used a few times to do some research. It has good statistics and other information on most every town and city in the US including our beloved Podunk VT.

(c) 2008 Jeff Connor (except the photo above by John Hughes,Megapickles )]]>Sat, 30 Aug 2008 18:00:52 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=371http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=356
Most of the people I speak with are surprised to hear we get more snow in March. When they are seeing the beginning of Spring where they live, Vermont is building to a grand winter finale.

To see what I mean, take a look at Stowe Resort's five year weather history. Not only is March the snowiest (I guess that is a real word), but it's the end of the month when the largest amounts of snow are falling. The last week in March averages 32 inches at Stow, far more than any other week there.

Stowe's Snow Report shows 309 inches of snowfall so far this season, just short of the season average of 327 inches.

It's been a great year for skiing and other winter activities but don't feel that you have missed it if you have not been here yet. There is plenty of snow here for you to enjoy and more is on the way.

In fact, this is a good time of year to enjoy winter. The days are longer, temperatures are higher, and there aren't as many people skiing, snowmobiling, snow shoeing, etc. I wish more people were aware of how good it can be here in March. It would be great to see the ski areas and the Vermont's Department of Tourism getting the word out about March. I'm sure more people would come if they knew what it is like here this month.

For the more technically inclined, and maybe a few inexperienced skeptics, you can view a current snow depth map from the National Weather Service to see how much snow you can expect when you travel to Vermont or other New England states.

The areas in dark blue represent depths of 20 to 39 inches (50 cm to 100 cm), and the purple lines, which you can see run along the mountain ranges, represent 59 to 98 inches (150 to 250 cm). Those are current snow depths, not the amount that has fallen this season. The map is updated every day.

Plan a trip to Vermont and enjoy this great winter season we will continue having for the next month.

I've written Vermont Travel Notes entries about Stephen Huneck's unique dog chapel in St. Johnsbury VT as well as his artwork and galleries around the state (the newest is in Stowe). His whimsical and sometimes touching artwork is very popular with dog owners all over the world. As a result, he has received publicity in a large number of places, the most recent being CNN and its website. The article is entitled "Doggy Disneyland draws animals, owners by the pack" and it's a good description of Stephen, his artwork, and his 175 acre farm with widely known dog chapel. It's quite a structure, requiring an expenditure of several hundred thousand dollars, and well worth a visit if you are a dog lover. From our inn, it is a little over a 45 minute drive to Dog Mountain..

Another great place to visit in the St. Johnsbury area is the Fairbanks Museum. I also recommend a drive north to Lake Willoughby and then over to the area around the town of Island Pond to do some moose spotting.

I found this Vermont Sweatshirt on Shawn's Blog. It does not say where he found it. There is a good local store called Rocking R that sells souvenir T-shirts and other clothing so I may take a look to see if they have this item.

I suppose this is the kind of image you have when you're a small, rural state. In reality, there are tons of things to do here, especially in outdoor recreation, dining, the arts, and shopping. It's enough to make someone think about writing a blog on what travelers to Vermont can find here.

Resolve now to spend part of this year in Vermont!]]>Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:11:18 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=337http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=336
Plowing and grooming at Sugarbush.

I can't remember when Vermont has had this much snow so early in the season. It just keeps coming and I'm spending a bundle to have Butch, my snowplow guy, keep the driveway cleared and sanded. Today he was here twice at $50 per visit. Our inn is more than 600 feet from Route 100 which is nice but we pay for it this time of year.

Also, I have hired Dustin part time to help roof rake and shovel. If I did it all myself I won't have time to do much else.

In fact, we've had so much snow Butch had to bring up his John Deere tractor with front bucket to lift the snow banks farther away from the driveway. His 3/4 ton pickup and plow just can't move snow when it gets piled up more than a couple of feet.

Last night and this morning we had about eight inches of snow. The National Weather Service is calling for another 8 to 14 inches tomorrow. A quick check of the Stowe snow report shows that they have had about two feet of snow this past week and 148 inches of snow this year, 111 in December alone. That year-to-date total is about 50% greater than the five year average as shown on the Stowe Weather Data Summary page on their website.

I hope we get a lot of ski guests this year to help offset the cost of moving snow around.

The Alchemist brew pub and restaurant in Waterbury has been hugely popular right from day one four years ago. They have about seven excellent brews available including some standards and some specials from time to time. Moreover, they actually have a chef preparing food so the fare there is much better than the average hamburger and fries that most bars have. As a result, it is crowded most nights. If you like craft brewed beers, the Alchemist should definitely be on your list of places to visit in Vermont.

John Kimmick, the brew master, just started a blog and has one entry posted so far. It's a pretty good one as a matter of fact and gives the reader a good insight into what kinds of beers he is offering and some of the thought and work that goes into creating them.

The blog is called Notes from the Brewery and is subtitled "or What's Going on Down Here and Why." (The Brewing equipment is in the basement under the pub.)

I've seen quite a number of Vermont blogs get started only to dwindle quickly. That is why I usually wait until I'm sure the blog will really keep going before I recommend it or add it to my list of links in the left column of this blog. But I'm making an exception this time and we'll see how it works out. John even mentions being busy with work and family so I won't be surprised if the Alchemist blog has only occasional entries but that is OK as long as they are as good as the first one and John keeps writing them once in a while.

In addition to the blog, take a look at The Alchemist website for more information about the brews, the menu, news, operating hours, map, etc.

I am familiar with most of these blogs but a few are new to me. I guess they are "influential" but to me they're mainly interesting and informative blogs I enjoy reading.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Sat, 24 Nov 2007 20:19:54 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=328http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=323
Stowe and Okemo are jumping on the early opening bandwagon along with Mount Snow and Sugarbush. Stowe has had 6" to 12" of natural snow at the highest elevations plus they have been making snow for a couple of weeks. They will open Saturday and Okemo opens Friday. I have not checked all the ski areas in Vermont so there may be some others opening also.

Sugarbush is officially opening on Thanksgiving Day but snow conditions there are so good now that president Win Smith decided to have a sneak preview this coming Saturday. You can see photos from his recent hike up the mountain when he began thinking about an early opening.

Two lifts and four trails will most likely be open. Lift tickets are $40 for adults and $30 for juniors. The resort will then be closed until Thursday so it's Saturday or wait until Thanksgiving to get your first runs in this season.

I was surprised to see that Mount Snow resort opened last weekend. Usually Killington likes to lay claim to having the longest season in Vermont by opening early and not closing until late May or early June. Let's make a note to check the Killington website in June to see what they are doing to keep their record intact. I predict they will be trucking in Zamboni shavings from indoor ice skating rinks throughout New England.

Mount Snow says on their website that this is their earliest opening since 1998. And they did not open just one token trail. They had 11 of them operating, plus four lifts. You can see video of last weekend's first day on the video page of their website.

By the way, the Ski Magazine reader survey I discussed in yesterday's blog entry, ranks Mount Snow number 18 in the East. Another Vermont ski area ranked in the top 20 is Stratton, which came in number 13.

Stratton is an interesting place. It would probably rank higher in the standings but it is known as a very expensive place to ski. And, in the world of skiing, that is really saying something.

Stratton is ranked sixth in the east for snow quality and fifth for grooming. It also has the third highest ranked lift system. What holds it back is its 32 ranking for value. At Stratton you get some of the best skiing and snowboarding but you're gonna pay for it. Big Time. That does not deter some folks. In fact, we once had a guest at our inn who told me he liked the fact that it is expensive because it means uncrowded lift lines and trails.

The longest running and most respected ranking of ski resorts in North America is published each year by SKI Magazine. . It has an independent research company survey its readers to rank ski resorts on 18 criteria: "Overall Satisfaction, Access, Après Ski, Dining, Family Programs, Grooming, Lifts, Lodging, Off-Hill Activities, On-Mountain Food, Scenery, Service, Snow, Terrain/Challenge, Terrain/Variety, Terrain Parks, Value and Weather."

This year, 7,000 readers took part in the survey. These are active skiers who put in an average of 23 days a year on the slopes.

According to those readers, the top 10 alpine ski areas in the East are:

Last night we had rain at our place but the mountaintops received a dusting of snow that looked nice when the sun came out today. This is the second or third snowfall at the upper elevations this year and it will melt soon most likely. The same thing happens every year and it serves as a reminder that the big stuff is on the way. We don't have much time left to clean out the gutters and get the snow tires on.

Stowe and Sugarbush have both been making snow for a week or so, and both plan to open in a couple of weeks.

Somewhere below I mentioned that Jay Peak averages about 350 inches of snow per year. That number is close enough to their 20 year average of 366 inches but actually for the last ten years, Jay has averaged 385 inches per year. The resort has a Historical Snowfall Totals page on its website that makes for some interesting reading. Last year got off to a bit of a slow start but Feb and Mar made up for it. Note the monthly totals for the epic 2000/01 season. Last year was in the same category. It will be interesting to see what this year brings but whatever it is, it will be big - it always has been.

]]>Tue, 06 Nov 2007 18:48:46 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=315http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=309
Bartonsville VT covered bridge courtesy of Freefoto.com - - chosen for this blog entry just because I like covered bridges and it looks "Vermonty"

This landed in my email inbox from a friend who was forwarding it after it had been forwarded to him. I don't know if Jeff Foxworthy actually wrote this or if it is from someone who is imitating him, but it's worth a couple of chuckles.

By the way, up here country folks are not called Rednecks. They're "Woodchucks."

"If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you live in Vermont.

"If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you live in Vermont.

"If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in Vermont.

"If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you live in Vermont.

"If "Vacation" means going anywhere south of New York City for the weekend, you live in Vermont.

"If you measure distance in hours, you live in Vermont.

"If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Vermont.

"If you have switched from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day and back again, you live in Vermont.

"If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Vermont.

"If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you live in Vermont.

"If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you live in Vermont.

"If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Vermont.

"If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in Vermont.

"If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in Vermont."

I especially enjoyed the Home Depot remark because yesterday I stopped to help a guy who was cutting long and awkward wire shelving and needed a hand to help steady it while he used the metal clippers. I did not even give it a thought until I read this. And that reminds me too of a few weeks ago when I helped a woman and her husband who were looking at the same deck stain I had bought the month before. After we discussed what color the stain would actually be compared to the color chip on display, I took them around to the aisle that had the paint pads and poles I used too.

People here are more quiet and reserved than you will find in some other parts of the country where folks are friendly and more outgoing. However, here you find it's just polite to keep to yourself. Vermonters don't want to intrude but don't let that seem standoffish to you. If you start a conversation with a Vermonter, you may want to find a place to sit because you're going to be there a while. Just the way it's done here.

I recently came across a web site where you can quickly compare the high altitude aerial photography available from Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, Ask.com and NASA. It's called Flash Earth and it's a free service.

A quick check showed that Yahoo had the best looking photography of Stowe and I liked the Microsoft version which had labels of such landmarks as Mount Mansfield.

If you want to look at some aerial photography of where you will be traveling in Vermont, you will find this device enjoyable and easy to use.

The site was created by Paul Neave, a Flash designer who has more impressive animations, games, and gizmo's at his website.

As a Vermont innkeeper, I get many questions about the state. A guest asked recently if this is the smallest state in the US (state size, not population). I knew that Rhode Island and Delaware are smaller, and that New Hampshire is about the same size. However, I was surprised to find that New Jersey and Connecticut have smaller land areas than Vermont.

The population numbers are from the 2000 census.]]>Mon, 08 Oct 2007 22:56:13 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=296http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=274

As summer winds down, it's time to think about firewood for the winter. Actually, here in Vermont and the rest of New England, 12 months of the year is a good time to think about firewood. I have an older neighbor who spends the summer cutting and splitting firewood. He makes up what appears to be about four cords of wood so I assume he must be heating his neat-as-a-pin log cabin with a wood stove.

Like most things, there is a right way to cut trees and a wrong way. The most recent mine disasters notwithstanding, the most dangerous occupation in the world is logging. Unless you know a trained professional who can teach you, you have to figure it out on your own (not a safe way to go about a dangerous job). Or you can take a course but they are not easy to find. Here is a school in Chester, Vermont that can help.

It is run by John Adler and his wife, Mary Beth who own Eagle Forest Improvements Inc, a logging company. They have 15 years experience teaching logging.

They own Northeast Woodland Training, Inc., a school that conducts classes employing a training technique called the Game of Logging. It is a widely known technique developed in the 1960s by Soren Eriksson, a Swedish logger turned training instructor. The Game is a combination of traditional Scandinavian logging and modern safely equipment and techniques.

The first day of the logging course covers chain saw operation and safety as well as basic tree cutting techniques. The second day is devoted to chain saw maintenance and sharpening plus more tree felling. The third and fourth days are devoted to more challenging trees such as leaning trees along with limbing and bucking techniques.

Even if you are just an occasional user of a chain saw around the yard, this course is great way to learn how to do it safely and in an enjoyable environment. You don't have to take all four days. There are classes for homeowners, professional loggers, high school/college, trail crew, etc. The school's website has a list of October classes.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus]]>Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:58:58 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=274http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=247
However, I've received inquiries about where Springfield VT is located and had some discussions about how it was chosen.

I did not think Vermont's Springfield would win the competition. Shows what I know. But I'm in good company. The producers of the movie did not think Vermont would win either and therefore did not invite the town to participate in the competition. What a bunch of Homers.

I know I have some overseas readers so, for them, here's the story. The Simpsons animated television show had been on the air in the US for 100 years (rounded down to a more accurate 18 years), or at least as long as television itself it seems. The Simpson family live in a town called Springfield. There is a new movie about the Simpsons to be released and the producers wanted to get publicity by having towns named Springfield compete for the honor of hosting the movie premier. Or something like that.

According to USA Today's resident grammarian, Springfield VT beat "out" 13 other towns with the same name as the show's fictional city. (Attention deficit sidebar: I don't know what ever happened to simply "beat" - it seems to have been killed "off" a couple of decades ago about when items on the computer were printed "out" in "portrait," formerly know as vertical, or "landscape," formerly know as horizontal. I don't know how computer science majors managed to get into college when they scored -50 on their English SAT's. I blame the parents . . . people like Homer and Marge. Everyone else but me thinks they are fictional.)

Back on track: you can read the story on the the USA Today website about how Springfield VT was overlooked when the invitations were sent ("out") but then made a video with a local Homer lookalike chasing a donut through the town that cinched the win. Plus, Springfield VT has a nearby nuclear power facility. No, really, they do!

Typical Springfield VT residents according toMatt Groening who no doubt owns the rights to this illustration and has a fleet of lawyers to prove it, so please don't forward this to him. ]]>Fri, 13 Jul 2007 23:13:17 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=247http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=210
Here is the epitaph on a headstone over Anna Hopewell's grave in Enosburg Falls, in northwestern Vermont:

"Here lies the body of our Anna, Done to death by a banana. It wasn't the fruit that laid her low, But the skin of the thing that made her go."

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Fri, 08 Jun 2007 19:59:32 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=210http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=203
As I write this, the counter says a little over 122,000 visitors but I did not turn it on until a month or so after I started the blog. Back then I was still learning this blog software and I didn't know there was a counter available. In the eleven months the counter has been on, we have averaged 11,000 visitors per month. I don't keep close track of the numbers but they seem to be increasing a little each month.

So, we will keep plugging along trying to bring good information about traveling to Vermont. There are some improvements I want to make. The biggest is probably every part time blogger's biggest challenge and that is to make time to write frequently. I have the feeling I should write shorter entries but more of them. And I'm going to get further out ahead of events - sometimes I write about them a day or two before they happen. Fewr typos would be nice to.

If you have suggestions, I would appreciate hearing them. You can use the Contact Us link at the top left of the page.

I enjoy doing this and sharing the enthusiasm I have for all the wonderful things to see and do in this beautiful part of the world.

This photograph has been emailed around Vermont lately. I think it speaks for itself.

(c) 2007 [except photograph by unknown individual] Jeff Connor]]>Fri, 20 Apr 2007 14:37:26 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=191http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=183
Stowe Resort has had about five feet of Snow in April but today they updated that to nearly six feet.

Since January, Stowe has been the grateful recipient of an amazing 25 feet of snow. More is on the way tomorrow and Monday. As a result, Stowe is extending their season to April 29.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Sat, 14 Apr 2007 16:44:04 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=183http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=182
Rainy spring is normal here but if the temperatures stay low, it means a lot of snow. It is not unusual for us to get some snow in April but nothing like this.

Several of Vermont's ski areas closed last weekend but I know Sugarbush, Stowe, and Killington are still open. Sugarbush and Stowe will close the end of this month and Killington plans to close May 5. They won't be closing for lack of snow but only because skiers won't be coming in large enough numbers. Stowe reports over five feet of snow in April ALONE! What started off as one of the slowest winters ever has turned out to be one of the snowiest on record. And there is a major storm on the way Sunday. I hope my roof rake breaks soon so I can just give up.

Yes, you too can become rich and famous, and travel the world. Read on to take the first step:

You may have seen and clicked on the Travel Rants link in the left hand column. It's a well done travel blog and, contrary to the name, is not always a rant. Often there are raves and usually there is helpful and interesting news and information.

Darren Cronian, the editor of Travel Rants, is holding his first "Travel Rants Blog-a-thon" which he hopes "will persuade more people to blog and share stories about their travels and unearth future travel writers." So here is your chance to become a paid travel writer. If you win, you will receive not only great wealth and fame (long term of course), but also some nifty immediate rewards.

A panel of travel experts will judge the entries and choose the winning entries which will then be featured on the Travel Rants Blog (the first step on the road to fame).

The challenge is open to anyone even those who do not own a blog.

"Rules:

• Your blog post most be no more than 350 words• The blog post must be useful for travellers and travel consumers• The blog post must be unique [they will be checking]• You can include links to other travel sites [but not your own!]• The deadline is midday [GMT] on the 31 May 2007• The Judges decision is final

Please email your blog posts to editor@travel-rants.com before the deadline."

Have fun. Let me know how you do.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus]]>Thu, 29 Mar 2007 21:56:43 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=178http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=175
To get this deal, go to Spring Summit Ticket Special Couponl and print the coupon. Present it at any resort lift ticket window to get your lift tickets.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Mon, 26 Mar 2007 09:43:22 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=175http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=174
Mad River Glen had reduced their weekday lift ticket price to $29 and now Stowe has also reduced their rate. However, you can't get the discount directly at the mountain. To get the discount, you go to a grocery store or other retail outlet to purchase a $49 "Direct to Mountain Card." You then turn in the card at the Stowe sales window to get the lift ticket. The card is good for the remainder of this 2006/2007 ski season including weekends. That is quite a discount from the normal $76 Stowe lift ticket price.

The participaing stores are located throughout New England, New York, and New Jersey. Click here to see a list of stores where Stowe Direct to Mountain Cards are available. Store inventories may vary so it would be a good idea to call ahead to your local store.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus]]>Sun, 25 Mar 2007 14:41:43 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=174http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=172
I have quoted the article below in its entirety. It's from a Stowe Mountain Resort weekly newsletter called The Inside Line . I subscribe to several Vermont ski area emails and newsletters but Stowe's is the best. Each issue has a few articles and an events calendar. It's worth subscribing to even if you don't plan on skiing Stowe because it is so interesting and well done.

This is from Vol 16. Number 15, Mar 22, 2007:

"Winter '06-'07 Among the Best for Snow

"Ever since the Martin Luther King Weekend back in mid-January, winter has been on a very positive track here in Stowe. Bottom line, it has snowed a ton. The accumulated total snowfall is now being measured at around 288” which translates to 24 feet of snow. That is a lot of snow by any standards, and with another storm or two will rank among the better winters on record.

"That item is particularly noteworthy this winter, because back on January 12th the snow stake was showing a grand total of 11”. Now it’s flirting with breaking 90”. Pretty heady stuff when you consider that down country media were convinced that ski season was headed for disaster back in late December. Statistics are a funny thing, but locals will tell you that the skiing off the top of Mansfield was awfully good back in late October into the first week of November. Folks were excited. Then the first of two long thaws hit and most of November was too warm for snowmaking. There was a bit of a rally staged by Mother Nature in late December and things were pretty good for the Holiday week. Then a January thaw arrived, and ended with a storm on January 14th. Nobody knew that we were heading into a stretch that would deliver 15 feet of snow in six weeks and give Stowe some of the best and most consistent conditions anywhere in the country. February was off the charts and March began with a big storm. Saint Patrick’s Day was celebrated in white this year as two-to-three feet fell in another classic Nor'easter. Who knows what the rest of the season holds? Rest assured, there will be plenty of snow to take us deep into April."

The article above is (c) by Stowe Mountain Resort.

Here is a link to the Inside Line Newsletter where you can sign up to subscribe. The newsletter content is updated each week so the article above will be gone soon.

]]>Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:16:16 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=172http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=165
12 to 20 inches of new snow with base depths of two feet to six feet. Right now at mid afternoon it is 21 F (-6 C) with a little wind from time to time. Thin overcast with the sun trying to come out. Forecasts are for some light and scattered snow showers today and tomorrow with temps in the mid 20's F. All our guests are out skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. I'm sure they will come back with very favorable reports on the conditions. We will have a few more weeks of winter so plan now to come to Vermont for great early spring conditions on the snow.

Jim Roemer, one of the guys behind Best Ski Weather, stayed at our inn last year. He's known as "Dr. Weather" a nickname he picked up a few years back from a Stowe Resort executive who was impressed with Jim's abilities.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus ]]>Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:33:48 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=162http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=160
Mad River Glen ski area has reduced their midweek adult lift ticket price from $35 to $29. I have not heard of any other ski areas doing the same.

We still have at least several more weeks of good skiing left. As MRG mentions on their website, they have had nine feet of snow since early February. So, even though it's been warm here, there is still plenty of snow left everywhere especially at the higher elevation ski areas where the temps are cooler.

Note: if you go to the MRG website, you'll note that the live cam shows a bit of fog but it's actually not as thick as it might appear because the camera is quite a distance from the slope and you are seeing all the fog in between.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor ]]>Wed, 14 Mar 2007 14:14:27 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=160http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=157
(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Sun, 11 Mar 2007 08:03:15 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=157http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=156
major flower show in Burlington this weekend or I would have posted this earlier. The weather forecast is calling for rain this afternoon so if you are looking for an indoor activity, here is one possiblity.

The Vermont Flower Show is a large event organized by the Vermont Association of Professional Horticulturists and it includes tours of the garden displays, garden model railroad displays, seminars, workshops, children's room, merchandise for sale, food court, art display, floral competition, and more.

The "Walk on the Wild Side" show emphasizes wild flowers but also includes all other areas of gardening including items such as walkways and waterfalls. It is being held at the Champlain Valley Exposition Center in Essex Junction. The show has an extensive and very well done web site that includes driving directions.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor

]]>Sat, 10 Mar 2007 10:45:29 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=156http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=152
A big change is coming just in time for weekend skiers and other outdoor entusiasts. Saturday's high is predicted to be 36 F (2.2 C) and Sunday 39 F (3.9 C). There is a 40 % chance of snow Saturday afternoon.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Thu, 08 Mar 2007 10:59:28 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=152http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=148
On Friday we received 12 inches of snowfall, Saturday saw another couple of inches, and as I write this Sunday evening we have received another three inches and it is still coming down. We will probably end up with a foot and a half of snow in just one weekend (stretching the weekend to include Friday).

I've held back on the superlatives about the ski conditions throughout Vermont but we are seeing skiing that is unusually good. Believe it or not, Vermont gets more snow in March on average than any other month. Plus, the days are longer, temps higher, and there are fewer skiers to work around. Now is the perfect time to come enjoy the alpine slopes, cross country trails, snowmobiles, snow shoes, and other activites. We probably have another month left so plan now! We are starting to fill up the next two weekends and I imagine other inns are also the same.

]]>Sun, 04 Mar 2007 21:42:30 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=148http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=146
(c) 2007 Jeff Connor ]]>Fri, 02 Mar 2007 21:52:30 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=146http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=145
Most Vermont ski areas don't report their total year to date accumulations but two who do are Jay Peak in northern VT at 231 inches, and Sugarbush in the north central part of the state at 167 inches.

The forecast for tomorrow is 35 degrees F, maybe a little sun around noon, possible afternoon flurry with little or no accumulation. Pretty much the same thing Sunday. Gentle winds both days.

After such a slow start, our downhill and cross country skiing this year is turning out to be "epic" as one VT ski area put it.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Fri, 02 Mar 2007 21:26:13 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=145http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=142
Here is what the Valentine's Day blizzard did to our parking lot. That vehicle is a tall SUV that was covered up to the bottom of the windows. You can see the snow on the roof is about 2.5 feet deep. This vehicle was driven by a couple from Florida! For a full size view of this photo, go to my Photobucket page.

total snow accumulation since Martin Luther King holiday weekend in Jan is close to 12 feet

At this rate, we'll still be skiing into late April.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus ]]>Thu, 22 Feb 2007 06:50:59 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=133http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=131
Single Chair Weather Blog has updated its "busted" big snowstorm forecast this week (see my Feb 17 entry below). However, Joshua Fox, the blog writer, foresees some snowfall late afternoon Thursday and Thursday night, probably amounting to a few inches by Friday morning. That could be, might be, may be, perhaps followed by an inch or two Fri night into Sat morning. So, we are not getting another big snow as we did on Valentine's Day, but we are getting back to our more normal pattern of several inches per week just to freshen up conditions. The high temperaturs Sat will be in the teens. Sunday will be in the 20's. Wear layers, have fun!

(C) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Wed, 21 Feb 2007 20:44:15 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=131http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=128
Single Chair Weather Blog, this week will bring fresh snow every day which should make for an unusually good skiing experience right through the coming weekend. He is predicting 12-28 inches over a four day period starting tomorrow. However, I heard on the radio earlier today that some forecasters are now saying that we won't get as much snow as was expected so we'll have to see how this progresses. No matter if the snowfall will be on the low end or high end of the estimates, it should make for memorable skiing.

He is predicting the coming weekend will be dry with high daytime temperatures in the middle 20's degrees F and low temperatures around 10 degrees F.

The only potential bad news is that next week might start with ice or rain. All the more reason to hit the slopes this week.

The longest ski run in the east is Stowe's Gondolier, a 1.6 mile, 20 degree pitch, intermediate rating knee burner. It is accessed by Stowe's Gondola and is one of two Stowe trails with lighting for Saturday night skiing from 4:00 to 9:00 pm.

Rates for Saturday night skiing are $25, Twilight (1:00 - 9:00 PM) $63, and all day $77 for adults. Night tickets are available only at the Midway Lodge Guest Services Desk.

"It will be cold and blustery through Friday with temperatures on the (Mad River Glen) mountain struggling to make it past 10. Saturday should see some moderation as temps climb into the teen with less winds . . . beginning Thursday evening and ending Saturday morning we could see an additional 4-10 inches with the wide ride range accounting not only for uncertainty but also elevation on the mountain. At some point on Saturday a break in the snow is likely . . . late Sunday which could bring a burst of terrain enhanced snow and another 5-10 inches by Monday morning. Although a powder day appears very likely on Monday, it will be windy and very cold with temperatures at least 10 below in the morning and struggling to make it above zero during the afternoon. So in summary, we have new snow predicted for lift opening on 3 out of the 4 days between Friday and Monday. Friday and Monday are cold and blustery, Saturday and Sunday are not as cold."

Click the link above if you wold like to read more.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:57:43 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=120http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=119
Mount Snow in southern Vermont reports 21" to 24" snowfall yesterday. Sugarbush in north central Vermont got 4 feet of snow in the last 48 hours for a season total of 153 inches (12.75 feet). Jay Peak in far northern Vermont was one inch short of 6 feet in the last 48 hours for a season total of 196 inches (16.3 feet).

All three advise that there may be wind holds today when they cannot operate the lifts.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor ]]>Thu, 15 Feb 2007 08:35:37 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=119http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=118
The Burlington airport is open but there are no flights to Philadelphia or LaGuardia because those airports are closed.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Thu, 15 Feb 2007 07:38:44 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=118http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=117
This is the biggest snow storm I have ever been through. I would imagine it will take the better part of tomorrow to get the roads plowed and to get Burlington airport open. The winds are pushing the snow around so much that even if the roads are plowed, they drift back over soon after.

The snow in our parking lot is a little over knee deep. A tall SUV belonging to our only guests tonight is nearly covered in snow drifts because the wind has pushed the snow up the sides of the car to the bottom of the side windows. My four wheel drive pickup truck with four snow tires is stuck on the driveway because it slid into a snowbank when I foolishly tried to drive though more than a foot of snow this afternoon. I'm waiting for the snow plow guy to come and help pull me out. I started raking the building roofs but all the snow blew back on and I have to start again tomorrow. Raking heavy snow from two and three story buildings is a major pain especially when it is this windy and cold.

This link is the FAA's Flight Control airport status report on Burlington VT airport (BTV), however you should also check your airline to get your flight's status.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Wed, 14 Feb 2007 19:00:50 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=117http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=116
Here is a good, albeit a bit technical, discussion about what is going on here in Vermont and New England weather: Single Chair Weather Blog

"Biggest storm, on a synoptic scale, is set to strike Mad River Glen and surrounding Vermont beginning late in the evening on Tuesday and lasting into Thursday. There will be both very heavy snow and high winds. The northern half of Vermont, the White Mountains of New Hampshire and much of the southern two thirds of Maine look to be in the storms sweet spot where total snowfall based on preliminary indications will be in the 18-36 inch range by late day Thursday.

"Posted by Joshua Fox at 9:20 AM "

Wax up the ski's, it's going to be an epic weekend.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:03:57 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=112http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=111
The fact is, we have not been getting any news-making big dumps but we have had quite a few days recently when we have received several inches at a time, and the upper elevations at the ski areas are getting a little more. Stowe ski resort is reporting 18 to 24 inches last week. Bolton Valley reports 15 inches last week. Here is tomorrow's report from Bolton's online snow report: :

"MONDAY: Sunday was picture perfect. With 2-3" on Saturday, after getting 8" of fresh snow on Friday on top of 5-6"Thursday and another 6-8" last Saturday. It just sparkled up here on the trails! We expect great skiing and riding again all week long!"

So far this year, Bolton has recorded 140 inches of snow.

No matter what it looks like around your town, we have a lot more snow than you might expect. And there is a big storm predicted for Valentine's Day so we will keep an eye out for that.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Sun, 11 Feb 2007 22:04:06 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=111http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=106
an article about Mad River Glen, probably the most distinct ski area in all the USA. When you visit Vermont, you will likely see bumper stickers that say "Mad River Glen: Ski It If You Can" which reflects the challenging aspects of a ski area priding itself in being a mecca for pure skiers. The skiers at Mad River Glen are the type who will find it hilarious that Stowe has a keyword ad above the article.

Shown above is the The Alakazam Tube Park at Magic Mountain in southern VT which reported a 2" to 4" snowfall yesterday. (I've been having some trouble over the last few days getting the web site to come up in Firefox but it works fine in IE.)

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Sat, 03 Feb 2007 20:23:40 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=105http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=104
The weather forecast calls for snow off and on over the next five days, so there should be plenty of fresh natural snow for skiing this weekend. The high Saturday will be in the low 20's F or -7° C. Sunday is forecasted to have a high of 9° F or -13° C. Those are ideal temps for powder snow. With all the natural snow and cold temps for making even more snow lately, all the ski areas are reporting good base depths and 95 to 100% skiable trails.

If you have been waiting for ideal ski conditions, now is the time.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Wed, 31 Jan 2007 21:03:57 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=104http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=94
Sugarbush as an example to summarize all the snow we have received. Southern VT will generally be a little less and northern VT a little more.

For what it's worth, Sugarbush is trumpeting the fact that they are the first VT ski area to be 100% open. They have 53 miles of trails in full operation.

Here are the stats:

New Snow 24 hrs: 1" 48 hrs: 13" 72 hrs: 15"

BaseMin: 8"Max: 38"

Season Total: 65"

I think Sugarbush gets an average annual snowfall around 225". Everyone in the state got a late start but it looks like they are making up for lost time very well.

Snow ConditionsPrimary: Packed PowderSecondary: Powder

They are still running the snow guns pretty much full tilt too and our guests are reporting that conditions are good everywhere especially on the side trails that don't get as much traffic. Have fun!

You can join sessions on either Tuesdays or Wednesdays for five weeks of coaching and enjoy the continuity of the same group and coach, or you can switch days if your schedule requires it.

Check Bolton Valley's web site for details. Program price for five sessions is $139.00 - a great bargain. Discounted Day Care for session participants $19.00 per child a day

Also, Bolton has discounted women's skiing/riding without lessons on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Women's Lift Ticket Price are $26.00 and you can add a lesson for for an additional $6.00 for a total of $32.00. Quite a bargain!

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Sun, 21 Jan 2007 13:30:39 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=93http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=92
For the last 24 hours, Mount Snow in the southern part of the state reports getting 4", Middlebury College Snow Bowl in central VT got 5", while Vermont's most northern ski area, Jay Peak, received 8".

For the most recent 72 hour period, Jay reports 15", Middlebury 7", and Mount Snow the same 4".

Note: I got these figures directly from the ski resorts' web site snow reports. I had started looking at OnThesnow.com but the reports were so weird that I doubled check with Vermont Ski Areas Assn web site which had different numbers. I then went to individual ski area web sites to confirm the numbers and they agreed with the VT Ski Area Assn reports. As a result, I'm rethinking the use of OnTheSnow.com as a reliable source of information.

Skiing was very good today with powdery conditions even though it was cold and windy at times. Tomorrow is shaping up to be even better.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Sat, 20 Jan 2007 20:08:22 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=92http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=90
If you can get away, now is an optimum time to come up for all the winter activities. Mad River Glen ski area, the favorite ski area for all the locals who wait patiently for snow like this in order to get the maxium amount of enjoyment from Mad River because it is a great ski area but does not make snow on their trails.

Also, this weekend is the Stowe Winter Carnival There is a major ice carving competition, snow volley ball, Super G ski race, Kids Karnival with games and sock hop, Chicken Pie Supper, Warren Miller ski movie, nightime celebrations with blues band at a local bar. You can watch some activities and participate in others.

Snowmaking trail depth is 30" to 42" and natural snow trails are 12" to 18"

And picking Stratton snow and trail report as a typical southern VT ski area, they report one inch in the last 72 hours and a base depth of 12" to 34".

It's not the big snow winters we are accustomed to but we can work with it. Most alpine ski areas will have most of their trails open this weekend and some cross country areas in northern Vermont are starting to open.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Tue, 16 Jan 2007 08:47:31 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=86http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=84
letter to your employer explaining why you won't be able to come to work. They're so excited at Stowe with all the snow we have received, and how much more is expected, that they've gotten a little giddy I guess.

Today it snowed about three inches and we may get about another 12 inches between now and late Tuesday. This coming weekend should be excellent for skiing and other outdoor activities. Or use the letter to your employer and get here sooner!

The most accurate local forecasting is done by Roger Hill. He has a website called Weathering Heights

Also, there is a Mad River Glen related weather blog I have started to read that seems very good: Single Chair Weather Blog. It is focused on Mad River Glen ski area but what it says holds true for most of north central Vermont.

(c) 2007 Jeff Connor]]>Sat, 13 Jan 2007 15:08:26 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=81http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=79
It looks like there is plenty of snow for the snowmobile, cross country ski, and snowshoe operations to get started again.

In a meeeting today with other inn owners in the Mad River Valley area (Sugarbush and Mad River Glen ski areas), it was a common experience that our guests were reporting good skiing from mid-mountain to the top. Thee were lots of compliments for Sugarbush working extra hard. The trails that were open were in good condition and a lot of snow making and grooming was taking place. Mad River Glen plans to reopen this weekend. More information to come later.

Last Friday we received our first dose of snow for the year. We had just an inch of snow at our facility (1,050 feet in elevation) and it melted the next day. The higher elevations got quite a bit more and it's sticking. Bolton Valley Resort reported that they got five inches of snow last Friday. Stowe reports that they received a couple of feet of snow during the week. They posted some photos online today that show early season skiers getting their first runs in.

A lot of rain is in the forecast for this weekend but the high elevations will get more snow. We will not only have a white Christmas, we may be on the way to having a white Holloween.

It's time to start thinking about skiing. It's not too soon to check your equipment and see if you need anything. If you are going to be in this area tomorrow, you may find some equipment bargains at the Orage early season sale, 102 Kimball Avenue, South Burlington. Stowe Resort representatives will have a table there to sell discount season passes too.

Ski areas often have discounted season passes available on their websites. If you would like to ski this part of Vermont, got to the Stowe and Bolton links above, and also see Sugarbush and Mad River Glen. A comprehensive list of all the Vermont alpine and cross country ski centers is available at Vermont Ski Areas Association.

I just came across Travelistic, a new website that features short travel videos that anyone can submit.

There are two videos so far for Vermont. The first one is about 47 seconds long and is of fair quality. The second is only eight seconds long and looks to be a test or a mistake.

This site is recently out of Beta so it should start growing and sometime in the future could become a good source of video information about places you are interested in seeing.

There is a good search function on the site so it's easy to find videos for the topics and areas you are looking for.

If you have some travel video to share, by all means submit it so others can enjoy and benefit. As it says on the web site, it's easy and free. There is a very short registration form to fill out and then you are ready to start a video upload.

I guess I should stop being a cheapskate and buy a video camera so I can contribute.

(c) 2006 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus LLC]]>Mon, 23 Oct 2006 23:21:43 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=71http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=54
Vermont has six seasons: the usual four plus "mud season" in April and "stick season" in November when most of the leaves have fallen and the trees look like sticks. Even though it is not our prettiest season, it still provides interesting views that were hidden by leaves for months. And it only lasts about a month to six weeks before we start getting some serious amounts of beautiful snow. In many states, stick season lasts most of the winter.

(c) 2006 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus ]]>Tue, 05 Sep 2006 22:44:47 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=54http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=53
Shakespear's 18th Sonnet , remembering the line about summer's lease having all too short a date. And each year, I see something new or forgotten in this poem that makes reading it a satisfying rediscovery.

Yes, summer has wound down but we have two glorious fall months to go before "stick" season and then we'll have the majestic beauty of a New England winter in the mountains

--/--

Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate:Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,And summer's lease hath all too short a date:Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,And often is his gold complexion dimmed,And every fair from fair sometime declines,By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:But thy eternal summer shall not fade,Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,Nor shall death brag thou wander'st in his shade,When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see,So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.

I just ran across an outstanding photoblog this evening and spent quite a bit of time going through many inspiring photographs. It's named "Megapickels" in a take off on "mega pixels." Excellent quality photos with very skilled Photoshop tuning (nice light touch). Lots of great photos taken around my area of north central Vermont but unfortunately there is no information about the photographer. I highly recommend this site - I have bookmarked it to go back and spend more time enjoying these works of art.

(c) 2006 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus LLC ]]>Tue, 29 Aug 2006 22:08:12 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=49http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=45
TravBuddy blog and thought the blogger did an excellent job in making a photographic record of his trip to Vermont. ]]>Mon, 21 Aug 2006 23:01:48 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=45http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=29
This school is designed for people who want a career in brewing. It costs about $8,000 and lasts six months. The 22 weeks of classwork in such areas as chemistry and microbiology is described as intensive. That is followed by five weeks of hands-on and mentored apprenticeship at one of several working breweries

There are two sessions each year. The next one starts Feb 5th next year but the deadline for application is the first of December this year.

The farmers benefit by getting paid for the manure. CVPS says that the environment will also benefit because the process eliminates methane which is 20 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. The process itself produces CO2 but the reduction in equivalents is estimated at 2,000 to 3,000 tons at just one local farm per year.

There are many other benefits as well. You can read more about this fascinating program at CVPS Cow Power FAQ's

My research shows that three other states have also banned billboards: Alaska, Hawaii, and Maine. If you had to choose four of the most scenic areas in the US, wouldn't the list look pretty much like that short list of states? I read somewhere that five states have banned them but I could not find the name of the fifth state. If you know, or if you have other billboard facts, please post them in the comment section (link below).

Some cities have banned them too. Two notable examples are Williamsburg and Virginia Beach VA. According to one study, both cities experienced increased tourism after the ban. As you might imagine, most people don't like billboards and say so when surveyed. Here's an interesting anti-billboard website .

In many areas of the country, the highways were built in wide open, less desirable areas but in Vermont, Interstate 91 and Interstate 89 offer many fine views and some wonderful vistas. There are plenty of rest stops here that are worth visiting just for the view, even if you don't otherwise need to stop. Pull over to some of the rest areas and take a couple of minutes to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of Vermont and give a quick thanks to the legislators. Most of them were true citizen legislators who had full time jobs. A large percentage of them were farmers who simply loved the land where they lived.

(c) 2006 Jeff Connor Grunberg Haus LLC]]>Fri, 14 Jul 2006 21:13:54 -0600http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=23http://www.grunberghaus.com/blog/blog_comment.asp?bi=13
If you are going to be in the area from July 1 to 9, go to Stowe's Spruce Peak ski area on the right off Route 108, about eight miles from the Stowe village. The sale will be held daily from 10am to 5pm.